“When are you going to buy a house to deduct? When are you going to have kids to claim?”

My stomach clenched in rebellion.

“Not in time to help with this year’s taxes,” I told the accountant.

It was my first time filing taxes as a self-employed person. I didn’t know I was supposed to keep track of my deductions throughout the year.

Instead, I was sitting across from a Khmer church auntie who could win an RBF staring contest with Miranda Priestly as she impatiently brainstormed business expenses.

The worst part: she seemed annoyed that I didn’t know any of this as a new + completely accidental business owner.

This experience is a big reason why I now take my time choosing who I learn from or work with.

If I invest my effort, time + money with someone, I want to trust they will meet me where I am, not just tell me where they think I should be.

Sure, I’d love to hear where they think I can go + that they believe in me. But I don’t want to feel bad for not being there yet.

And I certainly don’t want a one-size-fits-all blueprint to get there that forgets I'm a person.

I mean, would you want that, Reader?

Nah, I didn’t think so! 🙌

That’s why I’m introducing you to my friend, Sandra B today 👇

Sandra’s a Fractional COO who helps online business owners take back your time, keep more of what you make + grow your business…

…WITHOUT hiring a big team, fussing with tech stack, or giving up what you love doing (unless you want to).

Her strategy, operations + performance measurement systems sound suspiciously corporate but they’re actually just giant sandboxes for fun

🥳 daydreaming
🥳 brainstorming
🥳 possibilities
🥳 + celebration

It takes just 1 conversation with Sandra to turn an impossible quest into an exciting adventure.

Sandra brings that energy of celebration + possibility to thoughtfully responding to the times in her Collective Growth Summit: Strategies for a Changing World.

The name sorta sounds like a true crime documentary set in a commune of new age-y economists--Sandra's words not mine haha--but it’s not that!

This was a short + sweet fireside chat series about

👉 (possibly intimidating) changes in the online biz landscape in 2024

👉 brainstorming ideas on how to overcome challenges these changes might create

👉 + sharing practices we find useful for growing a sustainable, adaptable + agile business.

Tell me Reader: does AI scare you a little bit and/or are you terrible at keeping up with allll the trends? Hit reply + let me know!

​Then click here to sign up for the Collective Growth Summit recordings. I’ll save you a seat right next to mine!

#fangirlallday,
Mary

p.s. I am forever grateful to Sidekick COO, Sandra B., because she showed me that having a “grown-up business” could be whatever the heck I want.

I had a good ol’ chat about what that really looks like with Sandra + master email strategist Eman Ismail on Day 2 of the Collective Growth Summit, the recording of which is now available for that sweet 2x playback!

Here’s the whole schedule:

Day 1

• How to stay cool when your schedule is overwhelming
• Unlocking simple yet genius money-making strategies
• Absolute must-do’s if you want to grow your business

Day 2

• Personal habits that make a better leader
• Lessons learned along the way
• How to keep the fires of creativity + innovation burning bright

Day 3

• How to stay agile and adaptable personally + as a business
• How to handle upcoming challenges
• How to address impending changes you see on the horizon of your industry

​Click here to get the free recordings in time to plan for Q2!